Structural system for walls or ceilings or decks

ABSTRACT

AN IMPROVED STRUCTURAL SYSTEM COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PANEL-LIKE MEMBERS EACH HAVING PARALLEL SHIP LAP EDGES FOR COOPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE ANOTHER. DISPOSED INTERMEDIATE THE SHIP LAP EDGE OF EACH PANEL MEMBER IS ATTACHMENT MEANS DESIGNED TO ENGAGE AND JOINT THE PANEL EDGES TOGETHER. IN INSTALLATION THE PANELS ARE LAID PERPENDICULARLY TO THE STRUCTURAL SUPPORTS OF THE BUILDING AND A CLIP ATTACHMENT WHICH IS INTEGRAL WITH EACH ATTACHMENT MEMBER IS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE STRUCTURAL SUPPORT. EACH OF THE PANELS ARE DISPOSED WITH THEIR BUTT END JOINTS IN STAGGERED RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO EACH ADJACENT PANEL.

H. HALL 3,613,327

STRUCTURAL SYSTEM FOR WALLS 0R CEILINGS OR DECKS Oct. 19, 1971 Filed March 27, 1969 FIG. 4

m H O 0 w .n L T C b T e H 5 FIG.3

/N VE N TOR Bernard A. Reiter ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,613,327 STRUCTURAL SYSTEM FOR WALLS 0R CEILINGS 0R DECKS Herbert Lynwood Hall, 1842 Tattenhall, Houston, Tex. 77008 Filed Mar. 27, 1969, Ser. No. 812,563 Int. Cl. E04]: /10, 5/52 US. Cl. 52-489 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved structural system comprising a plurality of panel-like members each having parallel ship lap edges for cooperative engagement with one another. Disposed intermediate the ship lap edge of each panel member is attachment means designed to engage and joint the panel edges together. -In installation the panels are laid perpendicularly to the structural supports of the building and a clip attachment which is integral with each attachment member is adapted to engage the structural support. Each of the panels are disposed with their butt end joints in staggered relationship with respect to each adjacent panel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains generally to building construction and more particularly to prefabricated ceiling panels and their structural arrangements as decks.

The term decks as referred to herein is intended to include all building surfaces such as ceilings, walls, floors or partitions which utilize a plurality of integral interconnected panels to form a unitary planar surface.

Decks of the type to which the present invention relates are formed of a plurality of panels which are mounted in abutting relation. Such panels are frequently affixed to one another or to the building joists by a variety of means such as nails, hooks, clips or various types of metal edges. Such panel assemblies or decks, and their respective connection means, have heretofore been characterized by problems, such as leakage, buckling, loosening of the connectors, difficulty of installation, and expensive construction and installation features. The present invention discloses an improved deck or panel system which obviates many of the deficiencies presently embodied in decks and which in addition is structurally superior and substantially less expensive to install.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention either obviates or improves upon each of the aforementioned disadvantages by providing a wall panel system in which each of the respective wall panels are designed and constructed to reliably engage one another in abutting relationship throughout their length. This is accomplished by use of metal edging strips which are utilized to connect the panels in a tongue and groove arrangement, the metal strips being discontinuous along the edges of the panel. This is in contrast to prior art metal strips and is accomplished by cutting the strips into relatively short lengths which are intermittently disposed about the panel in such a manner as to enhance structural integrity of the system by engaging building joints supporting the deck.

As a consequence of the new construction disclosed herein, assembly and installation time of the wall or deck is reduced approximately twenty percent (20%) by comparison to present day methods of on the job fabrication. Even further construction time is saved by the use of improved clips which are integrally connected to the metal strips and of such configuration so as to cammingly engage the bar joists of a building without the need for welding, nailing or other types of time consuming labor.

3,613,327 Patented Oct. 19, 1971 These and numerous other features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description, claim and drawings in which like numerals denote like parts in the several views and wherein:

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 represents a perspective view illustrating the structural arrangement of panels of the present system and their connection to the bar joist of a building.

FIG. 2 represents a cross-sectional view along the plane 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 represents a modification of the cam clip shown in FIG. 2, this clip being adapted for either left or right attachment. 4

FIG. 4 represents an end view of one of the metal edges having a cam clip afiixed thereto.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral 1 designates the panel system of the invention as it is supported on a plurality of conventional parallel joists 9. The joists consist of an upper cord 11 and a lower cord 13 which are interconnected by a series of angularly related rods 15 which are welded to each cord. The panel system or deck 1 is adapted to be positioned on top of and supported by the joist 9 and consists of a plurality of prefabricated cementitious individual panels 3 which are generally of four-sided configuration and which are shown, for exemplary purposes, in rectangular form. It will be readily recognized that the deck could be supported below the joists. Each of the panels is comprised of two (2) laminated sections 17, 19. The sections, which may be approximately eight feet by two feet, are laterally offset with respect to one another and adhesively connected during manufacture so as to provide a ship lap discrete edge means 21. The panels are laid end to end so as to form a row 23. Subsequent rows 25, 26 are installed to form the deck. Each of the panels in the row is connected along its longitudinal edge to its adjacent panel by means of a connector means or metal edge 5 which, as shown in FIG. 4, is of reverse S configuration. The lower portion of the connector means is adapted to frictionally engage the offset edges or shelf 21 of section 19 while the upper portion 5a is adapted to frictionally engage the protruding edge 27 of the panel in the row adjacent to it. As will be recognized, the distance between the legs of each the upper and lower portions 5a, 5b respectively of the connector means 5 are calculated so as to frictionally engage the upper 27 and lower 21 edges respectively of the panel 3. Adjacent to the panels in row 23 is row 25 which, as shown in FIG. 1, contains a plurality of identical panels 3, each being longi tudinally staggered with respect to the panels in row 23. Thus the longitudinal end of each panel in row 25 is disposed intermediate the ends of each panel in row 23, this pattern continuing throughout the system.

The connector means 5 are disposed with their upper portion 5a grippingly engaging two adjacent panels in row 25 while the lower portion 5b of the metal edge singularly engages a panel offset such as 21. In this manner, as will be recognized, there is provided an integral panel system of superior structural integrity due to the interlocking dependent relationship provided by the connection of one metal edge to three separate panels. Projection of the aforedescribed interlocking-horizontal and laterally offset panel system results in a unitary deck which is incapable of panel separation and which provides for easy and systematic installation. Longitudinal offsetting of the panels is accomplished merely by using one-half panel at the end of alternate rows (see rows 25 wherein one-half panel is removed in order to view cam clip 7).

Fixedly connected to the vertical side of connector means lower portion 52; is the cam clip 7. The clip can be aflixed by any appropriate method such as spot welding and is characterized by a mouth portion 31 having an upper generally horizontal edge 31a and a lower generally sloped camming edge 31/). Dimensionally the month is configured so as to easily receive the upper cord 11 of joist 9 in order to fixedly anchor connector means and hence three (3) of the panels to the building joist 9. This is accomplished by slipping the connector onto the panel edge and moving it to an appropriate position so as to abuttingly engage the cord 11 within the camming surfaces of the connector. The legs of the upper and lower portions (5a, 5b) of the connector 5 are therefore characterized by a slight angular slope with respect to the horizontal plane (see FIG. 4, angle alpha), so as to enhance their movement, such as by tapping after emplacement, along the perimental edge of each respective panel 3. Thus the connectors can be moved into operative camming engagement With the upper cord 11 without danger of scratching or other violation of the structural surface integrity of the panels. At the same time, as a consequence of the angular configuration of the connector portions 5a, 5b, reliable frictional engagement with the panel is insured due to the tighter engagement of the legs at their inner ends.

In certain instances it may be necessary or desirable to engage the upper cord of a building structure from either direction. As will be recognized from the design arrangement of the connectors 5 and cam clip shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, this would not be possible with a single mouth cam clip or on other occasion to support a ceiling of the herein described panel by engaging the cam clip to the lower cord of the bar joist and thereby suspending the ceiling. In order to facilitate both construction time and operation efficiency there is provided and shown in FIG. 3 a modification of the cam clip 7, which can be positioned to engage a joist cord from either direction. This clip 70 is characterized by oppositely disposed mouth portions 41 having the upper horizontal edge 41a and lower camming edges 41b. The camming edges are sloped to insure camming action in the event that the clip is moved in either direction. Since the clips are manufactured on a mass produced basis such as by stamping, it is readily seen that this clip is as easily produced as the single mouth clip and at equally as nominal cost.

During installation the laminated panels 3 are laid end to end in order to establish an initial row such as 23 whereupon the connector means 5 having the clips 7 thereon are appropriately emplaced along the panels offset edges. Engagement with a joist is accomplished by simply moving the edges into operative engagement with the joist cord 11 or in the case of a hanging ceiling with joist cord 13. Subsequently another row such as is positioned in longitudinally offset manner with respect to row 23. The panels are easily forced towards one another so that the protruding edge of each is forced into the respective channel side of the adjacent connector in accordance with the system shown in FIG. 1. In this manner each respective panel is fixedly and securely attached to one another and also to the joist by means of the clip which is riveted or welded to the vertical side of each connector. Upon completion of the panel system installation of a conventional felt layer may be emplaced (in the case of a roof) on top of the panels and layer of pitch spread thereover. In the alternative, urethane or other appropriate material may be sprayed over the system so as to further insulate the interior of the building thereunder.

In view of the foregoing it will be apparent that pursuant to the present invention there has been provided a highly novel and eificient arrangement for providing a structure and method of installation for decks. It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without, however departing from the inventive concept described and as set forth in the claim appended hereto.

Therefore, that Which is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

11. In a structural construction system for efficiently erecting a deck in supporting relation to the joint means of a building, said structural system comprising:

a first row of panels disposed in end to end abutting relation to one another,

a second row of panels disposed in end to end abutting relation to one another and alongside and in abutting relation to the sides of said first row of panels, the length of the panels in said first row terminating alongside and intermediate the ends of panels in said second rows so that there is thus presented an array of panels in which the ends of the panels in the first row are not aligned with the ends of the panels in the said second row,

joist-like means disposed in cooperative relation to said rows of panels for supporting them as a deck,

elongate edge connectors frictionally engaging in slidable fashion along the respective sides thereof each of two panels of said first row of end to end panels and also the side of the panel of the second row which is abuttingly adjacent thereto, the elongate connector thus bridging the terminating edges of each panel so as to connect all three panels to one another in integral manner, and

clip means integrally affixed to said edge connectors and which are characterized by a mouth means which engages the joist-like means when the said elongate edge connectors are slid along the edges of said panels,

the said panel are characterized by sides of ship-lap configuration and the said elongate edge connectors are of mating configuration in cross section and of greater length than cross sectional width so that enhanced figuration in cross section with the upper leg thereof due to increased surface contact thereof,

said elongate edge connectors are of S shape configuration in cross section with the upper leg thereof engaging the upper surface of one of said panel rows and the lower leg thereof engaging the lower panel surface of the other of said panel rows,

each of said upper and lower legs open outwardly away from their respective panel surface so as to facilitate frictional placement of the edge connectors on the ship-lap panel edges,

said lower leg of each said edge connectors resides between the joist means and the surface of one of said panel rows so that the leg is forced against the panel surface by the joist means, thereby enhancing the gripping of the panel and hence the fixedness of the deck.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,215,811 9/1940 Figge 52592 X 2,335,302 11/1943 Olsen 52--488 2,381,635 8/1945 Baker 52354 X 3,257,766 6/1966 Butterfield et a1. 52492 X 2,256,761 9/1941 La Chapelle 52483 X 2,466,106 4/1949 Hoge 52483 2,851,740 9/1958 Baker 52489 X 3,187,389 6/1965 Anderson 52489 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,340,757 9/1963 France 52489 604,487 7/1948 Great Britain 52486 ALFRED C. PERHAM, Primary Examiner US. 01. X.R. 52496,592 

